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Ugh

I wrote up a Running in Place(s) 2 post for Nebraska. Twice.  Saved it multiple times.  left the computer to do other things before publishing.  Computer somehow deleted it all except the first couple of lines.  Twice.  I think that's Hermes telling me that I shouldn't post that one.  Doesn't mean I can't post some pics from that trip, right?
we had a nice system of trails right behind our hotel in Omaha
Maybe I'm tempting fate by posting pictures but we'll see in this "mash up" post.  
running through the corn fields watching the sunrise come up

one of the mornings was pretty foggy

the trail system was pretty awesome, encompassing Omaha and some of its suburbs


That trail system in the Omaha area, including the Papio and Keystone trails that I ran on, following rivers and creeks and link up with 120 or so miles of trails.  
I'll save my "thoughts from a place/running in place" stuff for my next post, on Monterey.  What I was going to get into was my training start.  I "officially" kicked off the Rock n Roll Marathon training on August 13th.  This year I took a Runner's World 3:45 marathon plan and modified the easy times a little bit.  Personally, I do my best to just take those runs on feel and heart rate rather than worrying about pace.  The plan has me running 5x a week, which works out well for my schedule. It gives me a day of rest, a day of just lifting/core exercise, and one double up day.  Now, if only this Texas heat would cooperate so the afternoon runs aren't so awful.  I'm due to run 8 miles Wednesday.  The choice becomes start around 4 am or run in 95+ degree heat in the afternoon.  choices choices.
Here's the problem though.  I got fat and lazy the last few months.  Since I dropped to 158 (from 182) in 2016, my weight has stepped is way back up to the upper 170s.  With that has come slower times this year.  I've re-committed myself to the Primal Diet (as I originally laid out here back when I started 2 years ago). I want to get down to under 165 before the Rock n Roll.  If I drop a pound a week, I'll get there.  (editor's note: trips to Monterey do NOT help)

Training hasn't been great.  I've been able to get in most of the runs at the prescribed distance.  The problem has been the pace.  It's been way too much work to run "easy."  A few of the speed/tempo run targets have been impossible to sustain.  I went miles last weekend in San Antonio.  The goal had been 10 miles at 9:30-10:30 pace.  The reality was tiredness, with even 9:15 feeling fast halfway in.  
I don't know, maybe I'll have to lower my goal.  I'll wait until I get closer to race day to make that call I guess.  At least I'm having fun and got some good pics in San Antonio.
don't tell that little dude on the bike that I parked at Blue Star


got under that bridge right before the train showed


What kind of trees are those?


what we once called "the edge of the world"

you can just see that new Frost building


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